head removal

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
Hi men, I have a problem with one of my manifold studs. basically it stripped last time I fitted the manifold so I had it helicoiled, But this has failed and the manifold was blowing again before I took it off.

Now my problem is do I have it re helicoiled ?, Or do I have it done properly at the local engineering shop, They only want £12 lol.

My other thought was do I take the head off or remove the whole engine and take it down as a whole ?, If I take the engine out I wont need a new head gasket and I wont have to find some random bit of wood to hold the timing chain in place either.

If I take it off I suppose I could get the seats recut and clean up the inlet and out lets with my trusty dremel.

Oh fook what do I do lol.

I just thought of a question, Will I need new head bolts if I remove it ?.


Rob
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Rob, if you strip the engine you'll end up spending lots of time and money on it - wait until next winter.

It got you down south last year so it can take you to a few meets this summer surely.

Stud - surely a temp repair can be done in situ? Then don't tighten it too tight and use a sealant paste in that area (it's only one stud). Anything else is a 'ball-ache' and can be done when you take the engine out. Worth a try surely.
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
Stud - surely a temp repair can be done in situ? Then don't tighten it too tight and use a sealant paste in that area (it's only one stud). Anything else is a 'ball-ache' and can be done when you take the engine out. Worth a try surely.

Trouble is that it's the very back stud and needs to be sturdy to get a good seal on my janspeed manifold,

I think I can just get away with replacing the head and rocker cover gaskets, I wont be tempted to spend more on it because I have that spare 2.8 engine that I want to rebuild sometime this year.

I think a quick clean up with the dremel wont do it any harm either, And I'll learn something along the way which should see me in good stead for doing my 2.8 engine later on.

What I can't bare to do is get it all back together and have it still be blowing that would piss me right off, If you cut corners you just end up doing the same job over and over again as proved by my blowing manifold, The engine in my car at the moment seems to be very good thus far so I don't see any issues arising from fixing it properly.


Rob
 

PHIL HYETT

Well-Known Forum User
Helicoil

Hi You can put a helicoil inside a helicoil if the thread has striped , put a larger helicoil in and then the correct size , I have seen this done in the aircraft industry .

Regards
Phil
 

zpuppy

Well-Known Forum User
Beat me to it Phil :D Also you can purchase heli coils oversize for just this purpose and specially treated to withstand high temps etc .. They are manufactured thicker so they fit an overbore , I used to use em on 50 cal gun barrels and the like so I know they work :eek: BTW,,they are not cheap however , but a quick easy repair ! :thumbs:
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Rob, yes it want's doing properly I agree. I was just suggesting a short-term fix as it's not safety or performance related (as long as you don't get fumes in the car).

However if you do decide to take the head off to fix it then it's very easy on these cars, but just mind the cam chain. I wouldn't mind betting once the head is off you get carried away though.
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
Does anybody have the required dimensions of this special bit of cam chain holding wood please lol.




Rob
 

jay28

Well-Known Forum User
Tech Tips page

These are the dimensions I used, I have the wedge in the at the moment as the head is off and seemed to work fine. I made mine out of a 1 inch thick plastic chopping board tho instead of timber.
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
Tech Tips page

These are the dimensions I used, I have the wedge in the at the moment as the head is off and seemed to work fine. I made mine out of a 1 inch thick plastic chopping board tho instead of timber.


Thanks Jay, I neveer thought about using plastic. What a good idea :thumbs:.




Rob
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
I took some pictures today of my slow progress.

campictures001.jpg

campictures002.jpg

campictures003.jpg

campictures004.jpg


I'm not quite sure where exactly top dead centre is, How far out am I guys ?. I'm sure it's just one tooth out on the pulley.

campictures005.jpg


I've been trying to get hold of a suitable bit of wood or plastic to make this bloody wedge out of, You wouldn't think it was so hard to find a random off cut of hardwood would you!

I found that at least one of the cam lobs is fucked and both end bolts on the oil spray bar where hanging out so that's probably why.

Also noticed oil had been seeping out from the head gasket down the block so it's probably a good job I'm changing it, Oh and I ordered a stage two cam kit so the webers should work a bit better.


Rob
 

jay28

Well-Known Forum User
My timing marks were about 3 inches out, The rubber in the balancer must be gone so I bought a new one. I had to use a piston stop and degree wheel to get my tdc.

Sure Rob while the head is off you might as well get a port and polish :D
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
My timing marks were about 3 inches out, The rubber in the balancer must be gone so I bought a new one. I had to use a piston stop and degree wheel to get my tdc.

Sure Rob while the head is off you might as well get a port and polish :D


I don't think I'm far out I used a screw driver down number 1 plug hole, And the rotor arm is pointing at number one as well.

I don't want to do much to this head apart from fit the new cam and bolt it back on, I have the spare 2.8 to rebuild in the nrear future so I'll save my cash I think.



Rob
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
The "0" on the pointer might be a clue as to where TDC is...;)


You know I'd thought that myself :D, It wasn't until I'd loaded that picture up to my thread that I could actually see the marks, I didn't have my glasses on when I was working on the car :eek:.



Rob
 

woodjohn

Active Forum User
You know I'd thought that myself :D, It wasn't until I'd loaded that picture up to my thread that I could actually see the marks, I didn't have my glasses on when I was working on the car :eek:.



Rob

You've probably gone blind "pulling the head off it all weekend"hee hee!!!!!:rofl:
 

vpulsar

Well-Known Forum User
I got the head off today. Was pretty easy really.

engine001.jpg

engine002.jpg


I reckon the person that put this engine together last time was a right idiot, I wouldn't let him near any motor of mine that's for sure, The spray bar had been bolted on with screw heads and no washers so came loose killing the cam in the proses.

Both of the little bolts at the front of the engine are wrong and where both loose, at least half of the head bolts where loose as well so I'm glad I've got it all apart now.

Does anybody know how much you can take off a 260 head with out having any issues with valve to piston clearance ?, I'm thinking of having the head skimmed to up the compression a little if it's possible, Seeing as it's going to an engineering shop for the stud threads to be fixed it would almost be rude not to do something with it.


Rob
 
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